Christopher Ross
Research expert
Social media advertising and marketing worldwide – statistics & facts
Social media is no longer just for connecting with friends; now brands meet customers, and trends are born in these platforms. As social media advertising spending is projected to continue to grow during the second half of the decade, buying behavior is consistently impacted by likes, comments, and shares. Social influence has led marketing strategies to align with platforms that promote video content. In 2024, TikTok and social media ranked among the top three leading consumer trends according to marketers surveyed around the globe, making such channels unavoidable for most advertising strategies. The social media advertising market is not limited to one region; countries across all continents are investing in social media advertising, with the United States and China recording the highest expenditures worldwide.
Growth and relevance: leading players and metrics in social media
As of 2023, Facebook and Instagram were the social media platforms with the highest return on investment (ROI), according to global marketers. This demonstrates how, despite the rise of new platforms like TikTok, Meta – which owns both Instagram and Facebook – remains a dominant force within the industry. As of 2024, over four in five marketers surveyed worldwide said increased exposure was a leading benefit of social media marketing, making it essential for any media strategy. Social media’s ability to reach numerous audiences has made it a great tool for brand visibility. The relevance of these channels expands beyond the realms of retail and direct-to-consumer (DTC) business models, as LinkedIn was also mentioned as the most important social media platform for business-to-business (B2B) marketers.Connection and trends: social media in modern interaction and marketing
A global survey conducted in the third quarter of 2023 revealed that half of internet users rely on social media for contacting friends and family. Nearly 40 percent use it in their spare time, making it clear that social media is a key part of most internet users’ routines. Facebook remained the most-used social media platform in 2024, with about 3.07 billion monthly active users (MAUs). YouTube and Instagram followed with at least two billion MAUs each. All three platforms use video content, demonstrating the popularity of the video format within the social media segment. The generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) trend has also impacted the social media ad industry. A 2024 survey asked marketing, public relations (PR), sales, and customer service professionals to select the benefits of using GenAI for social media marketing. An increase in efficiency ranked first, mentioned by 38 percent of respondents, followed by easier idea generation, cited by 34 percent. These developments characterize social media’s accelerating role in personal interaction and emerging marketing technologies, driven by continuous growth and adaptability to innovation.
